This morning I have been thinking about the balance of visionary thinking and taking care of daily business. Both are essential to effective organizations. Thomas Carlyle once said,” our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at hand.” Most of us understand that vision is essential to good leadership. Seeing the big picture is essential to be sure. But great leaders and managers have the ability to see and do what is necessary today. This has been called the principle of first things first. Proverbs 24:27 teaches this principle also. Solomon reminds us to develop our business first before building our house. Put simply: first things first. This principle from the bible reminds us that rather than flounder from week to week we must be sure that each day business gets done. So the question that needs to be answered is: what’s your business? What matters most to you? At the Tacoma Rescue Mission our mission is to help people enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ. All that we do here is an attempt to help people become their best through the transforming power of Jesus Christ. Even all the little and seemingly insignificant things that we do here relate to this great calling. The point is simple, long term vision is great, but we also need to make a habit of taking care of today’s business today. Take some time this week to see how well you are doing with this principle of first things first. See if you can complete these two sentences:
- My real business is ____________________________ .
- I will develop it today by doing this:___________________________.
If our real business here at the Tacoma Rescue Mission is helping people to become their best through the power and grace of Jesus Christ, then do something today that makes you more like him. For example, you will no doubt be given an opportunity today to give, love, forgive, show mercy, or help another get closer to Jesus. So this week, develop your business first, before anything else.
